The present invention is directed towards improvements in hovercrafts; vehicles which hover above the ground on a cushion of air located below the rigid floor of the vehicle. As is well known, hovercrafts include a flexible skirt located around the lower periphery of the craft which is filled with air by a propeller located internally of the craft. The air within the skirt forms a shock absorbing air cushion which maintains the vehicle above the ground making it capable of moving over different surface such as land, water, swamps, etc.
Most prior art hovercraft utilize two engines: one to provide vertical thrust for the air cushion and the second to provide horizontal thrust for propelling the vehicle forward. The present invention is directed towards an improvement in a hovercraft of the type which utilizes a single engine to provide both the vertical thrust for the air cushion and the horizontal thrust for propelling the craft forward.